acquaintance

Also ac·quaint·ance·ship

[uh-kweyn-tns]

noun

1. a person known to one, but usually not a close friend.

2. the state of being acquainted or casually familiar with someone or something.

   As far as I know, no one of my acquaintance has traveled around the world.

3. personal knowledge as a result of study, experience, etc..

   a good acquaintance with French wines.

   Synonyms: awareness, familiarity

4. (used with a plural verb),  the persons with whom one is acquainted.

acquaintance

/ əˈkweɪntəns /

noun

1. a person with whom one has been in contact but who is not a close friend

2. knowledge of a person or thing, esp when slight

3. to come into social contact with

4. those persons collectively whom one knows

5. philosophy the relation between a knower and the object of his knowledge, as contrasted with knowledge by description (esp in the phrase knowledge by acquaintance )

Other Word Forms

• nonacquaintance noun
• nonacquaintanceship noun
• preacquaintance noun
• pseudoacquaintance noun
• reacquaintance noun
• acquaintanceship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of acquaintance¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English acoyntaunce, aqueinta(u)nce, from Old French acointance; equivalent to acquaint + -ance

Idioms and Phrases

see nodding acquaintance; scrape up an acquaintance.

Synonym Study

Acquaintance, associate, companion, friend refer to a person with whom one is in contact. An acquaintance is someone recognized by sight or someone known, though not intimately: a casual acquaintance. An associate is a person who is often in one's company, usually because of some work, enterprise, or pursuit in common: a business associate. A companion is a person who shares one's activities, fate, or condition: a traveling companion; companion in despair. A friend is a person with whom one is on intimate terms and for whom one feels a warm affection: a trusted friend.

Example Sentences

“Our house,” he tells a new acquaintance, “has been in Mom’s family for a hundred and fourteen years.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

An acquaintance of the Remmo family had taken a job as a museum guard, according to court documents.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There’s a nonzero chance that viewers may be more inclined to analyze and compare “Die My Love” to its thematic acquaintances than they might normally be.

Read more on Salon

In fact, having lots of acquaintances might actually backfire, Hall said.

Read more on MarketWatch

This is a poker game made of a longtime, limited set of players—friends and neighbors, but acquaintances at least—given to “friendly” play.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• associate 
• colleague 
• companion 
• friend 
• neighbor